8 Aug 2010

30 Children Rescued ! CHILDLINE Calicut prevents trafficking of Children


August 08, 2010: Calicut , Kerala. CHILDLINE Calicut rescued 22 girls and 8 boys from traffickers at Calicut Railway Station. Just after receiving the call about the Children, the CHILDLINE Calicut started the search for the Children and later found the children's at the railway station. 30 Children in the age group of 5-15 were brought from Ahmedabad on the Tirunelveli-Hapa Express that arrived at the Calicut city railway station. The case shows that strong and prompt networking and timely intervention by CHILDLINE Calicut has saved 30 children from trafficking.

  Phone rings and initiates intervention

On Saturday August 08, 2010, CHILDLINE Calicut received a call from social worker who informed that 30 children is coming Calicut at Thirunelveli- Happa Express. The caller was also traveling in the same train who suspected that the children and by standers didn't had proper documentation for traveling.

CHILDLINE in action

CHILDLINE team informed the City Police Commissioner about the issue. The Police official assured all support and arranged one Police Sub Inspector at Town Police station for further assistance.
CHILDLINE contacted town Police Sub Inspector and discussed comprehensive plan for the rescue operation. In a meanwhile, RPF Police and Kerala Railway Police were called for the assistance.
CHILDLINE made a visit to the Railway station on the next day and observed the arrangements. Tirunelveli Hapa Express arrived at Calicut Railway Station around 10.30 a.m. and about 30 children. They were brought by a seven-member team who got down at the station with the children.
Rescue of the Children
CHILDLINE team and Police shifted them to waiting room at Railway station. After a long interaction with them, CHILDLINE understood that it was without any legal documents they allegedly destined that they were taking the children to an orphanage at Vellimadukunnu . Some of the children showed their TC and Birth certificate.

CHILDLINE found that about 30 Children in the age group of 5-15 were brought from Ahmedabad, Gujarat on the Tirunelveli-Hapa Express that arrived at the Calicut city Railway station. Among the 30 children, there were 22 girls and 8 boys between the age group of five and fifteen. The Police handed over all the children to CHILDLINE. CHILDLINE team took the children to CHILDLINE centre with the Police help.

News spreads

The news on CHILDLINE rescue spread throughout the state. It received calls from many Journalist, Social Welfare Department, Higher officers, Social workers and parents, Social activists. Children were given counseling and team member collect the name, address and further details from the children at the part of documentation.

Restoration of Children

CHILDLINE contacted CWC and informed about the case and produced children to the CWC member. CWC member directed to arrange temporary shelter in Government Children's Home, Calicut .

On the next day CWC sitting was held at Children's Home, Calicut . CWC collected the statement from the Children and asked CHILDLINE to handover five children to their parents. 25 children were shifted to an orphanage at Wayanad District on temporary bases. The CWC also ordered a preliminary enquiry for probation officer and local Police.

The case has received very good media support and the stories on the rescue were well covered in The Hindu, Malayala Manorama daily, Indian Express and Kaumudi daily. The follow-up by the police is still going on and five of the children are living with the parents and other twenty five are in the orphanage. CHILDLINE is in contact with the Children.